I decided to write about my passion for gardening past, present and future.
I have been ill suffering with Lyme Disease since May 2003 but at last after long term antibiotic treatment getting my life back and can again enjoy my garden.

Sunday, 20 December 2009

Soon after the frosty start the weather turned to snow but fortunately we have only had a sprinkling unlike other areas.

Note I did not need to add the snow flake effect to this photo.

Again I think the remaining dead growth adds a good dimension to the winter garden.

A look down the road to the woods.

The next morning from the bedroom window. It gives a good plan of the garden at the front.

A view across to the trees from the bedroom window.

This is a view from the back bedroom window and gives a good plan of the back garden. Excluding most of the top grass area because it is covered in roof sheets etc as Mike still hasn't finished the work on the back lean too. Weather has now got in the way of the last few hours needed to complete the lean too but at least it is water proof. Once I can get to this area there are still some shrubs I need to prune.

Just a bit to the south not covered in roofing stuff.

A view from the back bedroom across to the woods with the bit of the other bedroom window in the photo.

Wednesday, 16 December 2009

A touch of frost in the garden this morning, the first real bit of frost this year. The trough in the drive is still interesting with it's winter foliage.

I am slow at cutting back the dead plants, I quite like to see them in the winter frost especially from the bedroom window above. I also think they give the birds opportunities to feed. Well that's my excuse anyway.

These berries on the wall should keep a few birds fed.

The frost looks good on these silver leaves but I must look up the name of this shrub because I have forgotten it.

Hebe Nicola's blush looks especially pretty in the frost.

One of several frozen mini ponds.

I still haven't got round to pruning all the roses, some, but it is a shame to chop them back when they are still flowering.

More silver foliage lending itself to the frosty look although the box looks interesting too, much better than the traditional vegetable bed which can look so bleak in the winter.

I couldn't resist these last roses with their pretty frosted edges.

And the Fairy too.

The greenhouse is rather full and being unheated I decided to leave the summer shade on maybe it will help keep some heat in.

These little babies didn't find a home but maybe some will get popped in the beds in the spring, I quite like them on the bench too, up close to enjoy them.

Interesting to see the Acer has already swollen buds of new growth.

This view back to the house hides the jobs on the top section that are still waiting to be done.

One more last farewell from an unknown rose.

I have been busy updating my Looking at Lyme blog link top right so do pop over and have a look.

Wednesday, 9 December 2009

During a recent visit to family I was taken to the Martin Mere Wildfowl Centre. At this time of year there are so many birds to see and at 3 o clock they are fed near the hides so it was a truly amazing sight watching them fly in, many of the swans in formation.

The above photographs were taken from the videos I took which I will post during the winter months.

The last few photos were taken from a different hide with rather dirty glass windows that didn't open. Good for keeping warm but not so good for photographs.

The final shot was near the entrance who could resist a shot of Flamingo, interesting to read on the Martin Mere website, that they are classified as near threatened.

Tuesday, 17 November 2009

I am so behind with posting and catching up on other blogs but I decided to post a few photos of the garden last week. Of course this was a cheat bought from the local street market but a welcome sight by the front door.

These hardy Fuschia come into their own at this time of year all grown from cuttings from a friends garden in Newquay.

Nicola's Blush Hebe a cutting from a neighbours bush it is a very worth while Hebe to grow. All the Hebes I have tried have taken well from cuttings.

Winter Jasmine already putting on a good show.

In the back garden Fairy Rose again taken successfully from cuttings.

I finally removed the Dahlias last week and I was pleased that the ground elder was not as bad as I had expected. Pity I didn't sweep up after myself but nice to see soil without ground elder here.

Whilst I dug, these little beauties smiled down on me. Vitecella Vernosa Violecea quite dainty clematis but so worth growing where you can enjoy their lovely faces.

One last bloom of Edward Elgar. Sadly the perfume is lost in the cooler weather.

I even had a tidy up along this wall which is something I rarely get round to doing. The ferns are still looking nice.

Hermosa has bloomed since May so well worth growing although the stems can be a little weak.

I was so pleased to see so many flowers on the Arbutus Uneo because I lost one plant and this it's replacement looked as if I might lose as well earlier in the year.

The leeks are doing well and ready to eat.

What a different view at this time of year. I replaced many of the Lavender on one side of the garden and have pruned very hard back with others. If the pruned ones do not survive because I don't think Lavender enjoys such hard pruning, I have got several cuttings in pots which can be used to replace them.

As you can see I have had fun loading larger photos and putting my name on them. As if anyone would be interested in pinching them Hah! I think I was like a child with a paint box and made the names too colourful. Must follow Tatyana's advice and choose more discrete colours.

The reason I have not blogged so much recently is because there has been lots to read and e mails to send regarding my other interest. Yes you guessed following developments with Lyme Disease. The news about XMRV retrovirus is also fascinating to read. Many people with ME/CFS diagnosis are found to have Lyme and there are so many parallels with the two illnesses and the politics that surrounds them.

So rather than compromise this blog I started another one Looking at Lyme there is a link on my side bar. I will use this new blog to post anything that catches my eye, of which there is so much. It will also make a suitable place for me to retrieve information quickly.

I am more than happy if anyone chooses to visit and by all means add your comments.

Just some of the plants I couldn't remember the names of as I walked around the garden. Eucryphia Lucida to the right of the fir...

LYME LIFE written 2009

I started suffering with arthritis in mainly my large joints especially my knees 6 years ago. The symptoms varied and I remember saying that every joint was affected except my elbows to one doctor. I was told it would be hormonal and to take the usual supplements cod liver oil or glucosamine ( I would certainly recommend buying shares in the companies producing these supplements) They had no noticeable affect.

All my symptoms deteriorated significantly over a few weeks, 4 years ago. Hips shoulders and knees being the worst and I started with muscle weakness in upper arms and upper legs. I had difficulty standing and walking across a room. I was unable to walk upstairs and my husband was making plans to convert to a downstairs bedroom. I had seen 5 doctors and 3 Rheumatologists and put on steroids for Poly Myalgia Rheumatica diagnosis. I had been diagnosed with Fibromyalgia and ME/CFS.

I have X rays and scans showing signs of osteoarthritis and Rheumatoid arthritis. I have been retired early from the Civil Service having lost my job not to mention my earning potential.

My illness seemed to progress through my body not affecting the same joints left to right at the same time. I had bursitis in left hip, right hip, left elbow. I had synovial thickening in both wrists. At that time I could not lift and hold a magazine so lifting a kettle I could only do if a third full and with two hands. Each joint in my hands fingers feet and toes were affected. I had swallowing difficulties and many other symptoms. None of this describes the endless and awful pain whenever I moved or the tiredness but inability to get quality sleep.

Two years ago my GP gave me Amoxicilin for a sinus/throat/chest infection. All my arthritis symptoms improved. The course ended the symptoms deteriorated I started a second course the symptoms improved. The improvement was more significant than when I had started taking steroids. This led my GP to suspect Lyme Disease. I laughed because we do not travel abroad but she said they had had other cases in the surgery in the early stages of tick bite and Erythma Migrans rash. She said, but you have not had a bite. I said oh yes I have I had two on my ankles with rashes, March 05 this was confirmed on her computer at the time I had seen a locum doctor. My worst symptoms were waking up feeling rigid and having to painfully flex every joint in my body before struggling to get up. The only other time I had experienced this was in May 2003 during a flu like illness like no other I had ever experienced. At that time I had a bite and similar rash on my right foot which lasted like the other rashes about four weeks. I had also consulted the surgery and it was dismissed as a virus. I walked our dog daily in the woods adjacent to our house where the deer roam, prime tick area.

Thus started my very lengthy search about Lyme Disease leading me through http://www.lymediseaseaction.org.uk/ to a doctor who specialises in this illness. He confirmed my GP's suspicions. I never had a positive blood test but then they are antigen tests and there is much research that shows they are unreliable. In my case the year of steroids and many weeks antibiotics could have affected the results. So with a clinical diagnosis and following ILADS International Lyme and Associated Disease Society guidelines I continued on antibiotics for two years. Both my doctors continued to treat me despite the Health Protection Agency advising against long term antibiotics. I am now nearly 100% recovered I have no pain or muscle weakness. I can walk upstairs something I could not do for three and a half years. I can garden do house work and live a normal life. I still need to pace myself and with only a few months to 60 will not be looking to return to work.

Life is such a joy.

Sadly there is much controversy about Lyme Disease and doctors in UK are taught that it is so rare. Well where I live in Guildford I have been in contact with a dozen other people with it so perhaps not so rare as HPA would like us to believe. I am in touch with nearly 2000 other patients through a chat line Eurolyme most had been misdiagnosed with several other illnesses.

Look at UK charity http://www.lymediseaseaction.org.uk/ if you want to read more about this illness. There are many MP's taking an interest in the problems surrounding diagnosis and treatment see above charity links into a recent meeting at the House of Commons.

Thank goodness there are some thinking doctors around who have courageously treated me against opposition and I have made such a miraculous recovery albeit rather a lengthy one.

One day there will be many more people who are helped with their chronic illnesses when IDSA starts taking note of what our courageous LLMD’s are doing following ILADS Guidelines.